18
and look,וְהִנֵּהfrom the Nileמִן הַיְאֹרthere came upעֹלֹתsevenשֶׁבַעcows,פָּרוֹתfatבְּרִיאוֹתin fleshבָּשָׂרand beautifulוִיפֹתin form,תֹּאַרand they grazedוַתִּרְעֶינָהin the reed grass.בָּאָחוּ
Genesis 41:18
Study it in the app“and look, from the Nile there came up seven cows, fat in flesh and beautiful in form, and they grazed in the reed grass.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 41:18, word by word
- from the Nileיְאֹרyeor
Nile
See it on the mapWhere else “yeor” appears- there came upעֹלֹתolot
go up
To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.
Where else “olot” appears- sevenשֶׁבַעsheva
seven
Seven, the number of fullness; also "seven times".
Where else “sheva” appears- cowsפָּרוֹתparot
cow
Cow, heifer.
Where else “parot” appears- fatבְּרִיאוֹתberiot
fat
Fat, well fed.
Where else “beriot” appears- in fleshבָּשָׂרbasar
flesh
The body of a person or animal, the soft part covering the bones.
Where else “basar” appears- and beautifulיפֹתyfot
beautiful
Beautiful, handsome, of fine appearance.
Where else “yfot” appears- in formתֹּאַרtoar
form
Form, figure, the shape of the body; appearance.
Where else “toar” appears- and they grazedתִּרְעֶינָהtirena
graze
To tend a flock, or eat grass.
Where else “tirena” appears- in the reed grassאָחוּachu
reeds
Reeds, marsh grass growing on the riverbank, especially along the Nile.
Where else “achu” appears
Places in this verse
Nile
Today: Nile River, Uganda to Egypt and the Mediterranean
Egypt's great river; it flows north to the Mediterranean Sea.
Pharaoh dreamed beside the Nile (Gen 41:1). God turned its waters to blood (Exod 7:20), and baby Moses was placed on its bank (Exod 2:3-5).
The context
17Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph: “In my dream, look, I was standing on the bank of the Nile;
18 · This verse (above)
19And look, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly in form and lean in flesh; I have never seen any like them in all the land of Egypt for ugliness.
To study Genesis 41 in a group
1. What it says
What did Pharaoh dream, and what plan did Joseph propose (vv. 1-7, 33-36)?
2. What it means
Why did Pharaoh recognize that the spirit of Elohim was in Joseph (v. 38)?
3. How I live it
What can you wisely prepare today for hard times that might come?